What animal can I get that will do this?

[SuburbanFarmChic]

If they are wasting THAT much hay you may be better off getting higher quality hay that is often more expensive per bale but they will waste a lot less so you spend less in the long run. If they shred 1/2 of a $5 bale but eat almost all of a $7 or $8 bale then you are still ahead in cost for waste.

 

[elevan]

If they are wasting THAT much hay you may be better off getting higher quality hay that is often more expensive per bale but they will waste a lot less so you spend less in the long run. If they shred 1/2 of a $5 bale but eat almost all of a $7 or $8 bale then you are still ahead in cost for waste.

x2

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

Thats it, you could get a mini cow or steer. You could then get some beef at the end of the year or just have him or her as a pet.

"LIKE!"



Would a baby mini steer be safe to put in with the goats?

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I gather the spilled hay from under the feeders when refilling them and give it to my pigs for bedding/feed or feed it to the cows. I sometimes use it for chicken nest boxes. I don't know of any animal you could house with the goats safely that would eat the spilled hay.

I also fed it to my horses when I had them. Seems like none as as fussy as the goats. I don't have a huge amount under the feeders but still hate to waste it.

If you are throwing that much away possibly you are feeding too much or the hay isn't the best quality? What type of hay feeders are you using?

I'm sure the hay isn't the best quality but it's all we've got around here. I try to pick out the leafiest stuff, but there is still A LOT of sticks. All three feed stores around here get it all from the same place and one of the feed stores was telling me they save the "better" hay for the richer parts of town.

I could be feeding too much, but since all my goats are new and stressed out from the new home/ moving I am trying to give them as much food as possible so they don't lose weight.

I use a 5' goat hay rack.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

If they are wasting THAT much hay you may be better off getting higher quality hay that is often more expensive per bale but they will waste a lot less so you spend less in the long run. If they shred 1/2 of a $5 bale but eat almost all of a $7 or $8 bale then you are still ahead in cost for waste.

Around here there are only three types of hay; 4-Way, Alfalfa, and Bermuda. It's all $19.99 a bale and it all comes from the same place no matter which feed store I go to.

(I feed Alfalfa).

 

[77Herford]

Thats it, you could get a mini cow or steer. You could then get some beef at the end of the year or just have him or her as a pet.

"LIKE!"



Would a baby mini steer be safe to put in with the goats?

I don't see a problem with it. Maybe just getting a weanling mini and it should clean up that hay just fine. As for breeds, I don't know mini's well but I imagine just about any would do.

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

I would start looking for other sources of hay. Our TSC charges 18.99 for a square bale of alfalfa but the local farmers charge 4-8.00 depending on weight, cutting, etc. Start talking to other farms about where they get their hay. At 20.00 a bale that's got to be killing you.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I would start looking for other sources of hay. Our TSC charges 18.99 for a square bale of alfalfa but the local farmers charge 4-8.00 depending on weight, cutting, etc. Start talking to other farms about where they get their hay. At 20.00 a bale that's got to be killing you.

Yep sure is. It's $175 a month JUST IN HAY to feed 5 goats.



I'm not sure where I would start to look for other sources of hay... The only farms are about 1.5 - 2 hours away, the gas I would think would outweigh the savings?

 

[redtailgal]

175$ a month?

Talk to some farmers. You can usually get a pretty good deal on hay from them, esp if you'll load your own square bales.

Some of that stuff on the ground in your pics is still good hay. I scoop and put it back in the feeder at my place.

Is there any way that you could install a shelf of sorts on their feeder? A shelf with raised edges could catch part of that dropped hay and keep it off the ground.

I'm a hard nosed snot.........when my guys start wasting hay like that, they just done get as much.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

It does have that bottom tray thing with about a 2" lip that catches a lot. How would I add a second one?